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Well, at least it seemed that Jillian was recovering from her ordeal relatively well, probably hastened in the process by her fury as much as by the curiously regenerative natural energy he had infused her with. Gerald could not help but to feel morbidly amused by how the witch apparently wanted the three of them to turn back and face Kevalorn immediately rather than take a little while to regain their strength, all while at the same time stressing how the demonic Lord of Fire was capable of butchering them as easily as he had the dragon sisters. Emphasizing the danger of an action and encouraging it almost in the same breath. She must know that it would be downright suicidal for just the three of them to assault Kevalorn, especially in their current condition. True, this would probably be the time he was the most vulnerable, with nearly the entire force of crusaders escorting him having perished during the Battle of Anaxim, but that also meant that he would be the most cautious right now; their chances of being able to reach him were practically nonexistent without some kind of distraction... which would likely mean the death of the said distraction. He needed Renold for his search for a way to end the Withering, and Gerald himself was too important... did Jillian realize that she was the prime candidate for sacrifice if they were to undertake the task she would have them go on?
She was right in most regards, though, especially about him wanting to free himself from the Withering. Useful and unique as the abilities controlling it gave him were, even the contained Withering would ultimately kill him. Granted that the woman did not know the full horrid truth of what happened to those who died from the plague, she must still realize that the Withering was ultimately much more dangerous than even an unleashed demon lord; one could hide from a demon. Never from the Withering.

It was when Jillian spoke of having to be a step ahead of Hazzergash that Gerald could no longer contain himself and actually broke into a wicked grin, chuckling darkly as his left hand went to the side of his neck, as if to rub it.
"We will face Hazzergash again, there can be no doubt of that," he said, still smirking with amusement. "But luckily we've been a step ahead of him since the very beginning."
As he spoke his left hand rubbed down the side of his neck, then slipped down the collar of his robe and hooked his thumb around his silver necklace. Pulling his hand up and out from his clothes he drew the chain with it, gradually revealing the piece of jewelry while he felt the pendant moving up his chest towards his collar, until it was finally revealed as well, dangling between his neck and upheld left hand. It was a splinter of crystal, about the length of one of his fingers and looking small and fragile, but glowing with a faint inner light in fiery red.
"Hazzergash won't get his hands on his Demon Prison because we took it with us. It has been with me the whole time." He chuckled again, gleeful at the fact that another of their plans had worked out just as intended; if they lost the battle he was supposed to keep the prison away from Hazzergash. It was a failsafe, and a necessary one, it seemed. "What, you thought I was actually so conceited as to announce myself as most important simply because I am me?"
Ah yes, there were few things Gerald enjoyed more than outsmarting his enemies.